Killarney

By Michelle Crean
<h3>What a gathering it was for Jackie Foley as 55 members of his family came together for a very special birthday celebration.</h3>
Jackie, originally from Beaufort but living in Countess Grove for 45 years, turned 80 on March 5 and enjoyed a celebration in Killarney Golf &amp; Fishing Club last weekend.
His life-long dream is to travel to New York and knowing this, his family surprised him with a ticket to mark the milestone birthday.
He&#8217;s now planning to travel there in October with his daughter Karen and granddaughter Emma to see Ellis Island, the immigrant inspection station where his father went when he moved to America.
Jackie, who worked in Liebherr as a fitter from age 16 to 65, was joined at the sit down meal by his children Shane, Norma and Karen, his siblings Denis (Kenmare) and Mick and Noreen (Beaufort), his in laws, his nine grandchildren aged from 25 to eight-years-old, Cillian, Emma, Grace, Lillie, Jean, Noelle, Paddy, Jack and Sarah, and many others.
&#8220;We surprised him with a ticket to New York,&#8221; his daughter Norma told the Killarney Advertiser.
&#8220;He always wanted to go to New York as his father went through Ellis Island, so he&#8217;d love a tour of it.&#8221;
And she added that he really loved the party.
&#8220;He was the last man standing. He doesn&#8217;t drink and has been a pioneer all his life. We have to celebrate these things if the last two years are anything to go by.&#8221;

Jackie's off to New York to mark 80th birthday

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